80 amp fuse update

Which is why it's hard to go wrong with a reserve tank ;-)

Chris

99BBB

They should bring this back! Lord knows we've got no shortage of crapper cars that could be willing competitors! According to Pat, that's about all they have over there in Austin ;-)

Chris

99BBB

Wrong! I ran out of gas with a reserve tank on a BMW R100RT I once owned, it began to sputter, I hit reserve and stopped almost instantly.

Fortunately, I had the NEVER-FAIL-REPAIR-KIT with me (a cell phone and a road service card) so I got gas, went home and pulled the tank, removed the fuel valves and found some jerk had assembled them incorrectly so when I was on the normal "ON" position I was actually on reserve and vice versa.

The "R" series BMWs allowed you to do that, they had two tubes sticking up into the tank, when the gas level dropped below the long tube you ran out of gas, switched to reserve and the shorter tube allowed the remainder of the gas to flow. The tubes were press fit into the gas valves and it was very easy to switch them if you were careless.

Murphy's Law, section XXI: If a part can be assembled incorrectly, someone will assemble it that way.

I'd vote for it, it would be worthy of a Darwin Award if they hadn't all been fortunate enough to survive. I have to credit the driver with enough presence of mind to get the car stopped safely, that's pretty impressive.

Umm yes- that reminds me of the s3 kwakka I owned in the late '70s. Pulled the pistons and barrels, exhaust port polish, milled piston crowns (3/4 maltese cross about 2mm deep directed to transfer/exhaust ports), cut rear piston skirts. It was destined to go like a rocket - a mini widow-maker. Great care taken with micrometers, lab scales - a true work of art. Couldn't get it started and running for more than a few seconds. IIRC about 2 weeks later, after many repair attempts, problem located - the piston slides looked the same on all 3, they all fit the same, but they were most definitely not the same.

Which was the dumb part?

Fortunately not.

I didn't figure to hold my lead forever.

Well, just a few entries so far, so the final tally has yet to be done.

I am a bit disappointed about no reply from Lanny. I figured that he would have one of the better ones.........

Pat

I would enter the '94 Camry in my parent's driveway. They were about to get a new car when I fixed it one more time.

That car is truly being driven into the ground. One of those that will sell for $500.00 or less when the times comes.

Sorry to disappoint, but I can't think of any heroically-stupid thing I've done in a car. Even in my dimly-distant youth, I was pretty cautious about self preservation--not a single "hold my beer, I want to try something I saw in a cartoon" episode. I've have my share of adventures, but none had a bad ending.

My biggest automotive mistake was buying a '77 Corona 4-door, only because is was so boring.

Or Leon, I'm sure he'd have something involving particle physics or???

Well, you won't win post of the year with that!

I am still trying to decide which one is the worst for me as well as determining a few statute of limitations...........One can not be too careful these days. ;-)

r.a.m.m.m. has just not been the same since ole' Leon left us.

Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing may be debatable.

you need a demolition derby ......... BAD!

Chris

99BBB

Oh, I've had a few of those. But I survived and wasn't caught, so they couldn't have been *that* bad. Further deponent sayeth not.

My worst automobile purchase was a 1973 Audi 100 LS. It looked great and ran great when it ran*. Unfortunately it was broken down most of the time I owned it. Let see, computer module died, fan motor caught fire, had to replace the front pads twice in less than 10,000 miles (something to do with inboard rotors that got hotter than normal).

*Come to think of it, except for the nightmare California emissions control system. Miles of plastic tubing. Hit the gas and count to 3 before anything happened. Probably I exaggerate.

He provided the educational part of the group, how else would we have learned why white cars are faster?

I'd vote for bad thing.

Come on now, he could be lurking here, following this wonderfully focused 80 Amp fuse thread, and you'd have hurt his feelings, possibly throwing him back years in his efforts to come back and 'contribute' to this .....(fill in your own adjective)..... group! I'd take him back.

Chris

99BBB